Social Media Marketing

Online sales of luxury goods may climb 20 percent a year by 2015 as producers build networks of potential customers on social media websites such as Facebook, according to a study published today.

Social networking site GetGlue is adding a new dimension to its existing partnership with Entertainment Weekly, rewarding users who check in to one of the publication's 12 recommended fall TV shows with virtual stickers they can redeem for a 40 percent discount on a regularly priced item at adult Gap stores for the next month.

Those in the retail industry understand just how important it is to have a strong, engaging Facebook presence. The social network is the optimal resource to spread news, drive awareness and create buzz among fans.

Nielsen’s third quarter study, State of the Media: The Social Media Report, examines the increasing influence of social networking on consumers and points to trends that bode well for businesses active in the social media space.

Bill Bass, president and CEO of Direct at women's apparel retailer Charming Shoppes, took a step back yesterday at the Shop.org Annual Summit in Boston to reflect on five lessons he's learned from the 15 years he's spent in the retail industry, including stints at Lands’ End and Fair Indigo.

Facebook is the top online hangout, but few of the largest online retailers are doing e-commerce directly from their Facebook pages. So says a study by Ability Commerce, an e-commerce software services firm.

The CEO of Zappos Tony Hsieh has 1.8 million followers on Twitter. In many marketing circles, he's something of a Twitter god, using the Twitter feed to promote Zappos and his way of thinking about business to his many followers.

A group of Auburn University fans have called for a boycott of Old Navy after the retailer aired a television commercial that shows an Auburn fan bringing pizza to a University of Alabama party. The Auburn faithful believe the Tigers fan in the commercial, dressed in a Tiger costume and riding a four-wheeler, is portrayed in a foolish manner or as a pizza delivery man. The offended fans even started a Facebook page to register their complaints.

It's back-to-school season, which means class is in session for all the related marketing efforts. More than ever before, brands seem to be leading with social media. Take Famous Footwear, which worked with Buddy Media to build a "Back to School" tab on its official Facebook Page. So far, more than 50,000 people have joined the Famous Footwear Facebook community.  

Terms like social commerce, Facebook commerce and social shopping are making headlines. Nearly every retailer is trying tap into the 750 million potential shoppers on Facebook. The one thing missing is what it really means to make your e-commerce efforts social.